File-binder.



UNITED STATES Patenten oetober'18,19o4.

PATENT OFFICE.

HALF TO VICTOR GUERTIN, OF MONTREAL, CANADA.

FILE-BINDER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 772,430, dated October 18,

' s, Applicati'on filed August 24, 1903. lSerial No. 170,606. (No model.)

T all whom, t 11G/ty concern.-

Beit known that I, REUBENAUGUs'rUs OAK- LEY, of the city of Montreal, in the district-of Montreal and Province of Quebec, Canada, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in File-Binders; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the same.

My invention relates particularly to the means for locking the cover of a binder inl diferent positions relatively to the base thereof according to the amount of paper or documents filed; and it has for its object to provide an easily-manipulated lock adapted to effectively engage smooth standards.

To this end the invention may be said, briefly,

` to consist of a carrying-bar having a pair-of perforations to enable it to beslid up and down a pair of standards carried by the base of the binder. A pair of levers are pivoted to the bar near the perforations therein and are adapted to be movedto have one end of each intersect the spacev inclosed by said perforations, thereby `engaging the standards projecting therethrough, in which engaging positions they are held by their own natural resiliency with the coaction of a device for moving such levers. This device is located in the center of the bar and is manipulated with a key, which is temporarily held to the bar while the latter is unlocked from engagement with the standards, thereby allowing the bar to be raised or loweredby the key. l

' For full comprehension, however, 'of my invention reference must be had to the accom'- panying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which similar reference characters indicate the same parts, and Wherein- Figure 1 is a perspective view of a portion of the binder provided with myv invention. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the carrying-bar removed and illustrating particularly my improved levers in their unlocked position. Fig. 3 is a similar view illustrating the levers in their locked position. Fig. 4 is a detail viewv of the key. Fig. is avertical sectional view taken on line A A, Fig. 2, and illustrating particularly the manner in which the key and bar are connected together while the levers are unlocked from the standards to enablethe bar to be lifted by the key; and Fig. 6 is a transverse vertical sectional view taken on line B B, Fig. 3, and illustrating the parts in smooth, but otherwise of usual construction and secured to the base of the binder in the usual Way.

vMy improved levers are of U form, and each'has one leg f elongated to constitute' a lever-arm, while its other leg, g, is short to insure rigidity, while such levers are fulcrumed to the bar, as at la, in positions to have their short arms adapted to move into intersection with the standards. These levers are moved into engagement with the standards by-having their elongated legs projecting toward one another and overlapping at their ends, a cam-block m being pivoted to the center ofthe bar between lthe ends of these legs and having a centralcircular boss n, slotted, asat o, anda pair of holes p, located one at each side of said boss and in line with said slot. This cam-block is of oblong form, with its corners slightly rounded and its ends iiat 'to provide an extended.'bearing-surface for holding the levers in their engaging positions. This bar, with the levers and cam-blocks thereon, isinclosed in a shell r, lpreferably of sheet metal, andhavinga circular center opening `into which the circular, boss ci' the camblockprojects and a pair of radial slots s, eX- tending transversely of the bar, while aI pair of perforationst register with the perforations in the bar and, like Athe latter, accommodate the standards, such shell being connected to the bar by having its side and vend edges drawn down over those of the bar and a series of lugs u bent beneath'same. The lock thus constructed may be secured to the cover e of the. le by screws w or otherwise, as desired. The key w, whereby the lock is manipulated, has a pair of teats 2, adapted to project into the holes in the cam-block, and a straight portion between said teats adapted to take into the slot in the boss of said camblock, while a pair of opposite notches 4 above and in close proximity to the teats receive the edges of the circular opening of the shell when the key is turned to its unlocking position, thereby enabling the shell and the lock-carrying bar therein to be raised or lowered by the key.

Although I have described the construction as having a bar upon which the levers are mounted and such bar connected to the cover, it is obvious that, if desired, a cover of suflicient strength to support the locking part may be used and such parts mounted directly thereon, thereby dispensing with the bar, without departing from ,the spirit of my invention. In fact, the bar constitutes a strengthening part of the cover and is to all intents and purposes an integral part of the cover.

What I claim is as follows:

l. In a file-binder, a cover, a shell covering the top of said cover, means readily removable from such cover and for locking the same in different positions according to the amount of papers o r documents filed, said means being adapted to be inserted between the shell and cover midway of the length and breadth of the latter for the purpose of raising and lowering said cover to different positions.'

2. In a file-binder, a base, a pair of standards carried by said base, a cover, ashell covering the top of said cover, said shell and cover being perforated to allow the standards to project therethrough, locking devices located between said cover and shell and whereby the cover is locked to said standards, said shell having a keyhole therein, and a key adapted to be inserted into said keyhole and whereby the locking devices are operated, such key having engaging devices thereon for engaging the shell when the locking devices are unlocked for the purpose of enabling the cover to be lifted.

3. In a file-binder, the combination with the base thereof having apair of standards, and a cover perforated to lit over said standards and adapted to be moved up and down thereon, of means for locking the cover in any position to which it may be moved upon said standards, such means consisting of a pair of levers of U form fulcrumed to said cover adjacent to the perforations through which the standards project each of said levers having one arm resilient and the other arm adapted to intersect the perforations in the cover, and means for bearing upon the resilient arm of each lever and moving said levers to cause the end portion of one of the arms of each thereof to engage one of said standards and secure said cover against movement relatively to said standards.

4. In a file-binder, the combination with the base thereof having a pair of standards, and a cover perforated to fit over said standards and adapted to be moved up and down thereon, of means for locking the cover in any position to which it may be moved upon said stand ards, such means consisting of a pair of levers of U form fulcrumcd to said cover adjacent to said perforations, each of said levers having one leg resilient and elongated, and their elongated legs projecting toward one another and having their ends overlapping, the other legs of such levers being short and adapted when the levers are moved to intersect such perforations and engage the standards projecting therethrough, and means located between thc overlapping ends of said elongated legs whereby said levers are moved to bring their short legs into engagement with the standards, substantially as described and for the purpose set forth.

5. In a {ile-binder, the combination with the base thereof having a pair of standards, and a cover perforated to lit over said standards and adapted to be moved up and down thereon, of means for locking the cover in any position to which it may be moved upon said standards, such means consisting of a pair of levers of U form fulcrumcd to said cover adjacent to said perforations, each of said levers having one leg resilient and elongated, and their elongated legs projecting toward one another and having their ends overlapping, the other legs of such levers being' short and adapted when the levers are moved to intersect such perforations and engage the standards projecting therethrough, a 'am-block pivoted between said overlapping ends and adapted when moved to one position to separate said elongated legs and when moved in the opposite direction to release same, and a key whereby said Cain-block is rotated.-

6. In aiile-binder, the combination with the base thereof having a pair of standards and a cover perforated to iit over said standards and adapted to be inoved up and down thereon, of means for locking the cover in any position to which it may be moved upon said standards, such means consisting of a pair of levers of U form fulcrumcd to said cover adjacent to said perforations, cach of said levers having one leg elongated, and their elongated legs projecting toward one another and having their ends overlapping, the other legs of such levers being short and adapted when the levers are moved to intersect such perforations and engage the standards projecting therethrough, an oblong cam-block having its corners round and its ends fiat, such cam-block being pivoted between said overlapping ends and adapted when moved to one position to separate said elongated legs and when moved in the opposite direction to release saine, and a key whereby said cam-block is rotated.

7. In a file-binder, the combination with the base thereof having a pair of standards and a cover perforated to fit over said standards and adapted to be moved up and down thereon, of

IOO

'leg'resilient and elongated, and their` elongated legs projecting toward one another and vhaving their ends overlapping, the other legs of such levers being short and adapted whenl the levers are moved to intersect such perforations and engage the standards projecting therethrough, an oblong cam-block having its corners round and its ends flat, such camblock being pivoted between said overlapping ends and adapted when moved to one position to separate said elongated legs and when moved in the opposite directionto release same, and a key whereby said cam-block is rotated- 8. In a lile-binder, the combination with the base thereof having a pair of standards, a bar perforated to fit over said standards and adapted to be moved up and down thereon, a shell inclosing the upper vside of said bar and havinga central circular opening with radial slots, a cover secured tothe under side of said bar, of means for locking the cover in any position to which it may be moved upon said standards, such means consisting of a pair of levers' of U form fulcrumed to said cover adjacent to said perforations, each-of said levers having one leg elongated, and their elongated legs projecting toward one another and having their ends overlapping, the other legs of such levers being short and adapted when the llevers are moved to intersect such perforations and engage the standards projecting therethrough, an oblong cam-block having its corners round and its ends flat and provided with a slotted boss projecting through the central openings in the shell and having a pair of holes one at each side of said bosspivoted between said overlapping ends and n adapted when moved to one position to separate said elongated legs and when moved in j the opposite direction to release same, and a key having longitudinal teats adapted to take y into the holes inthe cam-block anda straight portion between said teats to engage in the slot in the boss whereby said cam-block is rotated.

In testimony whereof I have aliXed my signature in presence of two witnesses.

REUBEN AUGUSTUS OAKLEY. 

